The Largest Rainbow Trout Ever Caught in Ohio Was a Colorful Behemoth

Known for their bright, colorful appearance, rainbow trout are highly adaptive fish and popular in the angler community. Because of their resilient nature, they may be stocked all year round, and many countries have started cultivating this popular species of fish. Known for their light, nutty taste, and tender, flaky meat, it’s no wonder fishermen like catching rainbow trout. And rainbow trout can grow to impressive sizes, for instance, the largest rainbow trout ever caught in Ohio. That fish was over 21 pounds!

Description of Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are some of the most beautiful in the genus of Oncorhynchus, which incorporates Pacific salmon and Pacific trout. They are also known as red band trout or steelhead trout.

The coloration of rainbow trout may vary based on their environment. But typically, these fish have blue-green or olive-green bodies patterned by dark spots. Most adult rainbow trout feature a reddish, vertical stripe along their sides.

Rainbow VS Steelhead: What’s the Difference?

While they have different names, rainbow trout, and steelhead trout are the same species. However, they live in different habitats. Rainbow trout spend almost all their lives in freshwater environments. In contrast, steelhead trout spend most of their lives in the ocean before traveling to freshwater streams to spawn. Rainbow trout tend to be smaller on average than steelhead trout because of the freshwater habitats in which they live.

Natural Range of Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout are native to the North Pacific Ocean and connected tributaries from the Amur River in eastern Asia, northeast Russia, and the Pacific side of North America from Alaska to northern Mexico. Rainbow trout have been extensively introduced and found on every major continent except Antarctica. They are found all across the United States and are frequently stocked in lakes and ponds.

Rainbow Trout Size

Wild, freshwater rainbow trout typically weigh between 1 to 5 pounds, whereas rainbow trout stocked from a hatchery may be larger due to the high-fat pellets the fish may be fed. Steelhead trout may range between 10-20 pounds in size because of their ocean environment.

What Do Rainbow Trout Eat?

As carnivores, rainbow trout mostly eat insects, crustaceans, fish eggs, and smaller fish. The steelheads that live by the coast feast upon squids, fish, and amphipods.

When hunting for food, rainbow trout conserve energy by staying still in a stream with their mouths open, eating invertebrate larvae as it flows downstream.

Where Do Rainbow Trout Live?

Rainbow trout are drawn to reservoirs, lakes, rivers, and oceans with cooler water temperatures (68°F or colder). The best habitats are clear, clean, and cold. They like well-oxygenated habitats with dense vegetation for hiding from predators and hunting. Also, the opportunity to swim from the ocean to headwaters is important for spawning.

Best Time to Catch the Largest Rainbow Trout

The early morning or late afternoon is your best chance of hooking a rainbow trout. The low light conditions give rainbow trout an advantage over their prey, like minnows or insect larvae, who do not see well in the low light. These windows are also high traffic times for insects, so rainbow trout have an abundance of food options.

The Largest Rainbow Trout Ever Caught in Ohio

Fisherman Jason Brooks hooked this record-breaking rainbow trout on June 25, 2010. While fishing in Lake Erie, he caught a 21-pound and 4.8-ounce rainbow trout. This trophy fish was 38 inches long. Brooks said he knew it was big because he could barely get the rod out of the rod holder. But, after a ten-minute struggle, Brooks was able to get it close enough to net.

The Largest Rainbow Trout Ever Caught

On September 5th, 2009, Sean Konrad caught a world-record rainbow trout while fishing in Lake Diefenbaker, South Saskatchewan, Canada. This monster weighed 48 pounds and was 42 inches long. Plus, this beast of a fish was 32 inches wide. Sean caught the fish while fishing with his twin brother, Adam Konrad, who held the previous record title for largest rainbow trout. It weighed 43 pounds and 2 ounces.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Henrik A. Jonsson/Shutterstock.com